The International Conference "Somato-Visceral Interactions and Autonomic Mechanisms of Manual Therapy" focuses on a fundamental controversy that continues to limit both the scientific and clinical application of the existing clinical evidence for use of manual treatment methods which is the, sometimes contentious debate over its use in nonmusculoskeletal disorders. Do musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders, amenable to manual treatment contribute to non musculoskeletal disorders and their symptoms? What is the evidence? What are the mechanisms? While mechanisms of somatic/MSK physiological changes have been observed clinically (e.g. chronic regional pain syndrome), and in the laboratory, is there a reciprocal mechanism? Is it possible that [unreadable] manual treatment methods may be able to assist in "overcoming" internal/visceral conditions? If these methods are considered useful, what patients are the best candidates to receive treatment and what is the appropriate dosage and duration of care? To address these questions the following goals have been developed for the International Conference. [unreadable] 1. To bring together the leading scientists in the field of somato-visceral interactions with [unreadable] leading clinicians/researchers in the fields of related basic and clinical sciences, manual [unreadable] medicine and manual therapy (MM/MT), who will elucidate the existing evidence, define [unreadable] scientific gaps and potential clinical relevance. [unreadable] 2. To further review the available information on the mechanisms of somato-visceral [unreadable] interactions to include the sustained effects of somatic stimulation from manual therapies [unreadable] on the autonomic nervous system and subsequent visceral function. [unreadable] 3. To facilitate communication and to cross-pollinate future research by developing a crossdisciplinary consensus document on the current state of knowledge and identify directions for future initiatives and priorities. [unreadable] 4. To disseminate through peer-reviewed publication and distribution to professional [unreadable] associations and colleges, the final results of the conference. [unreadable] PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The International Conference "Somato-Visceral Interactions and Autonomic Mechanisms of Manual Therapy" will focus on current research on the interrelationship between symptoms in organs of the body and the musculoskeletal system. For example, can manual medicine practitioners tell if an organ is not functioning properly by palpating the musculoskeletal system? This conference will look at whether changes detected while examining the outer surfaces of the body yield clues to what is happening inside the body and direct diagnosis and treatment, as well as the underlying mechanisms of these interactions. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]